Ok so i don't have the book with me and I won't be able to get it anytime soon, but i wanted to ask: what village or town does Alina come from and was she orphaned because of the shadowfold or because of a border war with another country? did Mal come from

Thank you! I’m glad you like S&B and I love questions :)

Mal and Alina come from a group of nameless settlements in the valley of Dva Stolba, near the southern border. Their families were the victims of one of the flare ups in the border wars with Shu Han. Technically, they weren’t orphaned by the Shadow Fold, but I think it’s worth saying that Ravka wouldn’t be nearly as vulnerable to attack from the north and the south if it hadn’t been crippled by the Fold.

now back to work I go :)